Just as the girls were thinking what they should do for the night in
case they were obliged to remain in this place, they heard a little
shout, and their eyes were gladdened by the welcome sight of the
rabbit-skin, and trailing behind the elf was a large bunch of flax.
He came slowly towards them, and flung the flax at their feet, saying,
"I have had hard work to get this, I can tell you; this is something we
have nothing to do with, and I have robbed a garden for it."
"Oh, how could you be so wicked?" exclaimed Laura.
The elf made one of his strange grimaces, and stood on his head a
moment.
"So you call that wicked, do you?"
"Yes; robbing is very wicked."
"If I planted ever so much catnip in its place, what do you call that?"
"Oh, that was all fair, I suppose."
"Well, don't suppose anything more about it, but just go to work, if you
want your stick."
At this Kathie began to plait most diligently, and Laura, finding a bit
of blue ribbon somewhere about her dress, tied the end of the long braid
with it. The elf watched them closely--his little black beady eyes
following every movement of Kathie's dexterous fingers, while Laura held
the flax. When it was finished, Laura proposed fastening it in the elf's
cap as the easiest way for him to wear it, and then when he chose he
could lay it aside. This suited exactly, and the little furry rabbit's
head was soon adorned with this peculiar ornament. When the elf put it
on he gave a shout of glee, but afterwards became very grave--whether
the weight oppressed him, or whether he remembered that Chinese
sedateness and dignity would be appropriate, cannot be determined; but
Laura and Kathie both assured him he looked very grand.
"And now," said Laura, "please be so good, Mr. Elf, as to give me my
staff, for we have a long way to go, and have lost much time."
The elf at this request began his queer capers again, but finding the
long queue very much in his way, stopped short, and asked Laura why she
could not stay awhile in the woods with him, and said that he would get
her more honey, and find her the prettiest red cup-moss and maidenhair
ferns she had ever seen. Laura declined very resolutely, saying that the
Motherkin and Grim had charged her not to delay.
Then the elf made hideous faces, and blew a shrill whistle through his
fingers, whereat a swarm of mosquitoes buzzed around the children most
uncomfortably.
"Really, Mr. Elf," said Laura, brandishing her handkerchief wildly about
to keep off the stinging insects, "I thought you were more of a
gentleman than this. A Chinese mandarin would not vex us in this way.
I have a pretty turquoise ring on my hand, which, if my staff were here,
I might give you-- But, oh! oh! how these things do bite! Come, Kathie,
let us run," she added; and, seizing Kathie's hand, she started off.
"Hey! not so fast. Here is your staff. The ring! the ring! where is it?"
called the elf.
"I cannot stay in that swarm of mosquitoes," replied Laura, still
running; but the elf was quicker than she, and, leaping before her,
threw her staff across her path. "Here is the ring," replied Laura; "and
next time you meet any children, I hope you will be kinder to them than
you have been to us."
"Oh, you are too stupid to have any fun. Just a little joke like that
was nothing at all."
[Illustration: "THEY BATHED THEIR SWOLLEN AND DISFIGURED FACES."]
Laura made no answer, but, seizing her staff, she and Kathie hurried
into the woods in search of a brook where they could bathe their swollen
and disfigured faces. When they began their walk again, nothing was seen
of the elf.
"I do hope we shall now have no more to hinder us, Kathie. See, I have
tied my stick to my wrist."
"And we had better keep very quiet the rest of the way; for if we talk,
the elves may hear us, and contrive something new to stop us."
"Quite right, Kathie. We'll play we are hunters in search of game, and
not speak a word."
So on they went till again the twilight made it necessary for them to
seek a place of repose for the night. An overhanging rock surrounded by
low bushes seemed an inviting spot, especially as the staff did not
withhold them from it. Kathie, more learned in woodland ways than Laura,
broke down branches of hemlock, and made a fragrant and spicy bed; and
then, too tired to do more than say their prayers, they both were asleep
in a few moments.
It seemed to Laura that she had not been long asleep when something
wakened her. What it was she knew not. There was a soft stir in the
tree-tops, as if a light breeze were blowing--an occasional chirp from
some bird which had been disturbed, perhaps by a dream that its eggs
were broken; but otherwise all was still. Kathie was sleeping soundly,
and Laura closed her own eyes again, but again was aroused, and this
time by a cold something poking in her hand.